Jorge Schippers ’07 has always wanted to create something that could make a positive impact. After years of learning from some of the best in the industry, he brought that vision to life with Pacifiko—an e-commerce marketplace expanding access to affordable products across Central America.
With thousands of products and hundreds of partnerships with suppliers of all sizes, Pacifiko reaches communities all across Guatemala and Costa Rica—especially places where low-cost products of variety and quality aren’t always within easy reach.
“People in developed economies take e-commerce for granted or as a given, but [Pacifiko] is a big opportunity to bring it to this part of the world,” Schippers said.
Growing up in Guatemala, Schippers excelled as a student and soccer player. Surrounded by strong role models—like his parents and grandparents, whose work ethic inspired him—he held himself to high standards and worked hard to meet them.
His desire to learn kept him attuned to the world, from his time as a Boy Scout to weekends spent on his father’s farm, where he noticed differences in what people had access to.
“You could see the differences in what people from rural areas had versus people in Guatemala City.”
But there was more he wanted to learn and see, and after hearing stories from his cousins who studied abroad, Schippers knew he wanted to do the same—which eventually brought him to Notre Dame.
Schippers was looking for a school that combined strong academics, sports, and networking opportunities—and from the admissions process to the alumni network, Notre Dame checked all the boxes.
But just nine months before he arrived, his father passed away. As the eldest son, Schippers told his mother he would stay in Guatemala to support her, yet she encouraged him to pursue his studies abroad—her support a guiding force in his life.
Schippers had never seen campus before arriving in August of 2003 for his pre-season as a member of the Fighting Irish men’s soccer team, which he played on for two years. Back in Guatemala, he had been on the U17 National Team but was impressed by Notre Dame and then-head coach Bobby Clark. Chad Riley, now the Notre Dame men's soccer coach, was a senior when Schippers was a freshman and also served as a leader for him.
“It was an extremely professional, extremely committed team,” he said.
As a student, Schippers majored in business administration and immersed himself in classes and clubs focused on finance and entrepreneurship, including the Students International Business Council (SIBC), where he had the opportunity to connect with business in Chicago. He also later joined the Squash Club, which his friend had founded.
He explored his interests by taking a semester of Mandarin Chinese and a Sunday class with Rev. Edward Malloy, C.S.C., ’63, ’67 M.A., ’69 M.A., then Notre Dame’s president, where they discussed a weekly assigned book.
“It was like a book club, and that was very exciting to have the president of the University as my teacher. It was a very diverse group of students as well, and the discussion we had were very exciting.”
Pacifiko now has a book club of its own—something Schippers shared with Fr. Malloy over email. In return, Fr. Malloy sent him a copy of his latest book as a gift.
Schippers still remembers his dorm community in Zahm Hall and the late-night hallway discussions. He also built strong relationships through his soccer team and the Latino and international students, crediting them for as much of his learning as the classroom. Today, he still remains close to the friends he made, even as they are scattered throughout the world.
“I learned a lot from them and that was something very gratifying,” he said. “You would meet people who were smart and had good values.”
Campus itself also served as a reminder of what was possible.
“[The Mendoza College of Business] was a big gift from an entrepreneur, and that was something that was new to me, coming from Guatemala,” Schippers said. “Someone who had built something, then donated it for others to benefit from. That was exciting.”
After Notre Dame, Schippers went to work as a financial analyst at KPMG in Chicago before moving to the Madrid office. He then returned to Guatemala and spent two and a half years working in telecommunications at Tigo, where he took a deeper interest in learning how to grow a business. In late 2009, he became a product manager and was responsible for helping the company expand—a role he grew to love.
Then, in 2013, Schippers earned his MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. After graduating, he began working at Amazon, where he helped expand the company into new markets like Mexico, Australia, and the Middle East.
“I was really enjoying my time at Amazon because I’d found a place where I could grow professionally and work with good people. I couldn’t ask for more,” he said. “On the other hand, I wanted to try to build something on my own.”
From watching his father and grandfather build their own business to support their family to later sitting in meetings with Andy Jassy, now CEO and president of Amazon, Schippers built a strong foundation—one that empowered him to bring his talents back to Guatemala and contribute to the community that raised him.
“I was able to see differences and relate to many people with different backgrounds,” he said. “I think that gave me the opportunity to almost see things 360.”
Pacifiko has a presence in Costa Rica and Guatemala and is continuing to grow throughout the region. But the beginning had its share of obstacles.
The company launched in late 2019 and was just beginning when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With no inventory and just a website, Schippers and his team were working hard to meet demand, iterating fast and fundraising to grow the business.
“It was very gratifying to receive orders from rural places where they were buying anything from masks and soaps to laptops. They were going online because they didn’t have access to these things where they lived and couldn’t go to physical stores.”
For Schippers, remaining open and honest with customers was his utmost priority, especially while navigating such an unexpected time.
“Whenever we were making mistakes, I would write emails to customers," he said. “I think those were very important things.”
He also deeply values his team. Many of the people Schippers employs at Pacifiko are just beginning their careers. It is the young people, he believes, that contribute greatly to the company's culture and who are essential to keeping the business moving forward.
Early in his career, Schippers had the chance to work closely with business operations and product management, and being entrusted with such responsibility at a young age was formative for him.
“Obviously experience helps you, but you will learn a lot, very fast, if you are interested,” he said. “That has helped me as a manager and as I build the company—believing in young people who are eager to build something big, regardless of their background.”
Pacifiko has also partnered with nonprofit organizations like the Mathile Institute for the Advancement of Human Nutrition, which is dedicated to ending child malnutrition in Central America. The company is also building regional partnerships, not only to bring more products to buyers but to help local entrepreneurs grow their own businesses.
“Success, for me, is creating something that is useful and that has a positive impact,” he said. “I'm competitive as a person and hold myself to high standards, but it’s important to create value in what I do. That’s my definition of success.”
Schippers is a proud father of four and also an avid runner, completing at least three half marathons a year—a hobby he picked up after Notre Dame when he moved to Chicago, where everyone seemed to be running.
Just as he strives to push his own limits, Schippers encourages students, as they set out to do good in the world, to take advantage of the University’s resources and keep an open mind and heart to learning.
“It’s important for people to keep that hunger of learning at Notre Dame and in the real world,” he said. “Reach out to people and ask questions.”
There’s no real end to learning, and for Schippers, the future of Pacifiko remains full of possibilities.
